Oakland Athletics' Jim Johnson while giving up 4 runs without recording an out in 8th inning during A's 9-7 win over Houston Astros during MLB game at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. less

Oakland Athletics' Jim Johnson while giving up 4 runs without recording an out in 8th inning during A's 9-7 win over Houston Astros during MLB game at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, July 23, ... more

Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle

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Oakland Athletics' Brandon Moss, right, swings for a grand slam off Houston Astros' Anthony Bass in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo)

Oakland Athletics' Brandon Moss, right, swings for a grand slam off Houston Astros' Anthony Bass in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo)

Photo: Associated Press

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Oakland Athletics' Jeff Samardzija works against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo)

Oakland Athletics' Jeff Samardzija works against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo)

Photo: Associated Press

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Oakland Athletics' Brandon Moss, right, is congratulated by teammate Josh Donaldson (20) after hitting a grand slam off Houston Astros' Anthony Bass in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo) less

Oakland Athletics' Brandon Moss, right, is congratulated by teammate Josh Donaldson (20) after hitting a grand slam off Houston Astros' Anthony Bass in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Thursday, July 24, ... more

Photo: Associated Press

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OAKLAND, CA - JULY 24: Brandon Moss #37 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates as he rounds the bases after he hit a grand slam home run in the sixth inning of their game against the Houston Astros at O.co Coliseum on July 24, 2014 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) less

OAKLAND, CA - JULY 24: Brandon Moss #37 of the Oakland Athletics celebrates as he rounds the bases after he hit a grand slam home run in the sixth inning of their game against the Houston Astros at O.co ... more

Oakland Athletics' Jim Johnson while giving up 4 runs without recording an out in 8th inning during A's 9-7 win over Houston Astros during MLB game at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. less

Oakland Athletics' Jim Johnson while giving up 4 runs without recording an out in 8th inning during A's 9-7 win over Houston Astros during MLB game at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, July 23, ... more

Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle

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A's have overcome Jim Johnson's stunning descent

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On a morning of farewells and regret before the A's 13-1 victory over Houston, Jim Johnson's departure spoke to a major investment gone sour. And here's the remarkable part: For baseball's best team, it's not even close to a major setback.

On the surface, this appeared to have been one of Billy Beane's cleverest deals. With Grant Balfour off to free agentry, Beane replaced his closer with Johnson, whose 101 saves led the major leagues over the past two years. He didn't come cheaply - $10 million for one season - but the A's had lost faith in Jemile Weeks, the second baseman who went to Baltimore along with minor-league catcher David Freitas. All in all, a pretty fair gamble with so much at stake.

Weeks hasn't come back to haunt the A's, although he's having a decent season for Baltimore's Triple-A Norfolk club, batting .279 with a .394 on-base percentage in 55 games, as the Orioles carry promising Jonathan Schoop and Ryan Flaherty at the major-league level.

The real story is Johnson's stunning collapse as a reliable pitcher, let alone a shutdown closer. He was a late-innings disaster from the beginning, and the A's fans, who booed him right from the start, seemed to sense the impending doom. It reached the point where Beane couldn't swing a decent trade for Johnson, so the ax fell hard Thursday: designated for assignment.

Under the rules, Johnson conceivably could return to Oakland. Daric Barton fell into this category three times with the A's - once this year, twice last season - and he's still with the organization. But that won't happen with Johnson. The A's are done with him, and he has to realize that, for whatever reasons, Oakland is not the place for him.

What happened? Nobody seems quite sure. Johnson was throwing his 95-mph fastball and effective sinker, just like always, but without any kind of consistency - and any time he looked vulnerable to misfortune, it arrived with dispatch. The crisis reached a boiling point against Houston on Wednesday night, when what should have been a break for the A's bullpen - a 9-2 lead heading into the eighth - became a sudden call for Dan Otero, Luke Gregerson and Sean Doolittle after Johnson gave up four quick runs.

"I feel terrible about it, because it's my job to put him in a position to get on a roll," said manager Bob Melvin, realizing that if Johnson couldn't work through a no-pressure situation, there wasn't much hope. "It just didn't happen here. Jim's a stand-up guy. He was always accountable, never made excuses. And we know he can still pitch. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody takes a chance on him."

Johnson wasn't available for comment before the game, but there were sympathetic voices on his behalf. "The thing about it for me is how great a person he is," Otero said. "He's a professional; I loved having him as a teammate. I know it's part of the business, but it's still sad to see him go. I have a feeling he'll find a home somewhere, and he'll be just fine."

When the news came down, fans might have thought to themselves, "Hey, time for Tommy Milone." The A's left-hander could use a little sunshine, having made clear his displeasure over being optioned to Sacramento, but the A's don't view him as a long reliever. Milone's time will come - that's just how it works in this game - and the A's replaced Johnson with right-hander Evan Scribner, who has been on the big-league roster twice this season and piled up some impressive Triple-A numbers (4-1, 3.35 ERA, 14 saves, 57 strikeouts and seven walks in 37 2/3 innings).

Taken together, Milone's demotion and Johnson's dismissal paint a glowing picture of the A's depth. The Giants are in desperate need of a starter with Matt Cain on the disabled list, and they're scrambling for answers. The A's have Milone and Drew Pomeranz in reserve, they replaced Johnson without blinking (Doolittle), and with everyone hoping Jeff Samardzija would give the A's weary bullpen a break Thursday, he tossed an eight-inning masterpiece at the Astros, firing a 96-mph fastball for strike three on his 101st and final pitch.

Deep down, Beane has to be kicking himself just a little. He rarely spends big money on any player and he doesn't put much stock in relief pitchers' longevity, routinely replacing effective closers over the years.

This time, it was an easy call, and by late afternoon, the A's had picked up their 28th victory in the past 36 home games. If you mention "setback" to these guys, understand that they might not quite get the meaning.

A's 13, Astros 1

Jeff Samardzija gets more than enough offensive support this time around, gives bullpen a break. B5

Offering no relief

After posting 101 saves the past two seasons with Baltimore, Jim Johnson struggled with Oakland: